Toy construction set



April 24, 1928.

W. HERRSCHAFT TOY CONSTRUCTION SET Filed June 8, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTQR ATTORNEY April 24, 1928. 1,667,255

W. HERRSCHAFT TOY CONSTRUCTION SET Fil-ed June 8. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 c 0 5 g I 5 H c 3 7 b a ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 24, 1928.

U ITED STATES TOY cons' iR cT o saw.

Application filed I 8 This invention relates to a"construction set for use by children for purposes of entertainment andto develop their practical faculties, The object is to provideaineans of this character which is simple and'cheapmanufacturable, and Whichis einployable with sufficient facility, yet which callsnpon the mechanical abilities of the child, Whether small or great, enabling him to make a Wide variety of structures and devices,-the range depending only on his'fa'cility and i1nagination'. The invention is applicable for making comparatively large size or usable constructions, Within'o'r bordering the field of actuality, other plans of this character having been limited tothe making of miniature objects or suggestive models. 'Notalone de pendent on size, the objectof the invention is to permit of a Wider scope and freer application in the design and construction of things close to reality. Y i

In the accompanying drawil'igs, forming parthereof: i

Fig; 1 is an i Fig. 4 is a fragmentary View similar to Fig. 3, omitting the clamping sleeve;

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of one of the clampmg sleeves;

Fig. 6 is anelevation of one otthe rods,

with its intermediate portion broken away; Figs. 7 and 8 areperspective views of two illustrative structures made with the'inyention; and

Fig. 9 is a face viewot a disc. A complete construction set according to the invention comprises a number of sheet metal" plates 2, a number of cylindrical Wooden rods 3, of suitably differing lengths oft-he same diameter, clamping sleeyes fl, one for each pa r of mating plates, and an appropriate number ofstove screwsor bolts 5 and "nuts 6. Also included in the set'are a number of large tvooden discs 7, toform wheels, etc I p i g I The phase-may be of general disc shape,

plates between the radial corrugations, are

side face vieyv of one of the connection plates; 7

Fig. 2 is an edge we of twoof the conwhich causes. it normally and-to the radialrodsl' multilateral or polygonal. Theyare formed ith'central or axial openings 8 of substii n tial diameter, these openings being flanged outward on acurve or inclination,so"as to form sloping surfaces 9 on the inside."

The plates are "also radially corrugated (10), so that When mating plates are putto gether with the corrugations outside, split jso ckets'll are forxne'd l The curvature of i the corrugations 'is such that the area of these radial sockets is-approximatelythe same as the. area of theopenings 8, or so that the same rods maybe received or 'insocket-s, both the 'axialopenings and the radialso'ckets being adapted to receive rods 3 of one diameter.

The 'flatjor depressed port-ions 12,- of the piercedwvith small. holes :The screws 5 seited either in the openings or "in the r,

are passed through these holes and the nuts 6 are appliedfto theimto draivtheplates together, or toward each other, in clamping or grlpplng relation to the rods and thesleeves Each sleeve Lisa shortlength of cylindrical tubesplitlengthwise at one sid'ef or it may be nade of a strip curved into the same form the sleeve having a resilient set L to have acoinparatively open condition.

This sleeve is of a length and diameter such that it ;is adapted tobe interposed between the central portions offtwo' mati ng plates, forming an interior passage between a k 90 the openings 8, the "ends of the sleeve bearing against the inclined, inner, calmning'or preliminarily assembled in this manner,-the

screwsand nuts being loose. the ends ofone or more rodes can be inserted in one or more of the' radial sockets, and a rod can be passed through the axial openings and the iIiternal clampingflsleevei Tightening of the lVith the parts of theconnection device g sCreWsior nuts will. then draw the clamping I plates together, and this will both clamp the sockets "11 on the radiahrod or rods and squeeze the sleeve 4 against the axialro d, the wedge 01' cani 8 gripping thesleeveon the axial rod ,and also gripping the sleeve to the plates, so that the aX1al-rod and the connection device are rendered substantially fixed or immovable in respect toeach other "no its but will leave the axial rodyl ree, so that this red can turn in the connection device or the device can turn on the rod. I

In'certam parts of a structure,a radial rod, or two or more radial rods, may be in either clamped or free as desired.

sertcd in one of the connection-devices, without any axial rod. Again, an axial rod maybe passed through one of the devices, without radial rods ,,thei1xial rod being Or both radialand axial rods may be assembled with the same device, the axial rod bcing either clamped oriree.

The sleeve 4 can befinserted and removed by loosening the screw and nut tastenings cut. eiently to permitthesleeve to be passed in or out through one of theradial sockets. It is an advantage, however, that the fastenings be otrsuch character that the plates and the fastenings can be entirely taken apart, the set as furnished consisting of separate parts, so that the child must work with the individual elements. With somewhat less advantage, however, the connection members plates, enables them to grip the inner. ends of radial rods fixedly. Then an axial rod and the clamping sleeve are present the same provisions enable the plates to grip the sleeve and the sleeve togrip the axial rod with equal firmness.

Fig. 8 illustratesthe use of thediscs 7 as wheels. These discs are provided each with a central opening 14 of the same size as the openings 8 in theconnection plates, in order to lit the rods 3, and with a suitable number of small holes 15 spaced at a distance about the central opening. These holes correspond in position to certain of theholes 13 in the connection plates.

In Fig. 8 the discs 7 have been placed on the ends of the rods whichserve as axles, beside connection members a made up of plates 2, certain of the screws, marked 5, being long enough to pass through the plates and also through the holes 15 in the discs. to secure the discs to the connection member-s. In this example, it may be understood that the connection members marked (,0 contain the clamping sleeves and are therefore fixed to the axle rods, whereas these rods turn inv the connection members 7). which do not contain the sleeves, connection members 0 being clamped to the rods at opposite sides of the members I) to act as retainers preventing displacement of the axles lengthwise.

The drawings illustrate only two oft'lle very numerous structures and articles that can be made with the system.

I claim: I 1. A toy construction set comprising a number of mating plates having axial openings and corrugated to form split radial sockets, and a number of rods adapted to be inserted'in such sockets and to pass tl'n'ough such axial openings, clamping sleeves adapted'to be interposed between said plates to grip axial rods by compression, and means for drawing said plate-s together. I

2. A toy construction set comprising a number of matingplateshaving axial openings and corrugated to form split radial sockets, and a number of rods adapted to be inserted in such sockets and to pass through such axial openings, clamping sleeves adapted to be interposed between said plates to grip axial rods by compression, said plates having inclined surfaces at the inner sides of said axial openings to cooperate with the ends of said clamping sleeves, and means for drawing said plates together.-

3. A toy construction set comprising a number of mating plates having axial openings and corrugated to'form split radial sockets, and a number of rods adapted to be insertedin such sockets anctto pass through. such axial openings, clamping sleeves adapted to be interposed between said plates to'grip axial rods by compression. said, plates having inclined surfaces at the inner sides of said axial openings to cooperate with the ends ofsaid clamping sleeves and being further provided with holes'between the axial corrugations, and means adapted to pass through saidhole-s to draw the plates together and permitting the plateslto be taken apart. 4. The herein described connection member comprising the combination of two mating. flexible plates having. axial openings and corrugations forming radial sockets adapted to receive cylindrical rods, means for drawing said plates together, and a clamping sleeve interposed between said plates to grip an axial rod by the compression of the plates.

5. A toy construction set comprising a number oi? mating plates having axial openings and corrugated to form. split radial sockets. and a number of rods adaptedto be inserted in such sockets and to pass through such axial openings, means for drawing said plates together, and a. number of discs adapted to be secured to the plates and to serve as wheels; 3

6. A toy construction set comprising a number of mating plates having axial openingsand corrugated touform split radial sockets. and a number of rods adapted to be inserted in such sockets andto passthrough such axial openings, means for drawi-ngsaid p ates tog ther ud a n mber of discs adapt ed to 'serve as wheels, said discs containing central openings adapted to fit axial rods and also having additional openings for securement to the plates.

7. A toy construction set comprising a number of mating plates having axial openings and corrugated to form split radial sockets, and a number of rods adapted to be inserted in such sockets and to pass through such axial openings, clamping sleeves adapted to be interposed between said plates to grip axial rods by compression, means for drawing said plates together, and a number of discs adapted to be secured to, the plates and to serve as wheels.

WVILLIAM HERRSGHAFT. 

